Virgin Media O2 Business has secured a contract to construct a dark fibre network for public sector sites in the Swansea area of southern Wales.
The network will cover 36 sites throughout the Swansea and Neath Port Talbot area and is designed to improve regional connectivity to local authorities, healthcare providers and universities.
It is already in the planning stages and is expected to be completed in December 2025. Local officials claimed it would create “more reliable and cost-effective services, whilst boosting economic growth.”
“Connecting our public sector sites to this type of infrastructure will only improve what can be offered and deliver a far more efficient public service now and in the future,” said Rob Stewart, leader of Swansea Council and chair of the Swansea Bay City Deal Joint Committee.
“I have no doubt that this latest step forward will solidify our capabilities and will provide a vital platform for our region to demonstrate the level of innovation and opportunities available across Swansea Bay for all sectors and businesses.”
Dark fibre consists of unlit, unmanaged optical fibre paths that allow operators to have secure control over network protocols, bandwidth, and services.
Such networks can also be scaled over time to meet evolving operator needs.
The Swansea Bay City Deal, which awarded the contract to Virgin Media O2 Business, said dark fibre networks “offer practically limitless capacity and speeds, allowing significant amounts of heavy data to be stored and shared securely between public sector sites.”
The network will connect sites such as the Welsh Ambulance Service University Trust, the Swansea Bay University Health Board and Swansea University.
“With dark fibre right across our national footprint without any regional restrictions, this new network will provide the region with a range of benefits like increased capacity and speed,” said Catherine Amran, customer director at Virgin Media O2 Business.
“Collaborations like this are important for public services, enabling growth and ensuring organisations have access to reliable connectivity.”
The network is the latest in a series of digital transformation projects under the Swansea Bay City Deal, a £1.3 billion investment plan funded by the UK and Welsh governments to boost the region’s digital infrastructure.
In addition to a dark fibre network, other projects include a state-of-the-art life sciences research facility in Llanelli and flexible office space for tech and digital businesses in Swansea city centre.
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